Anyone here a Physician's Assistant?

[iGnP]

im hearing a lot of positives about becoming a physicians assistant. As someone who is having a hard time getting into medical school, it's very tempting to consider. My primary care physician actually told me to stop pursuing becoming a doctor and go to PA school instead. so does anyone here know a PA or is a PA that can give me some insight as to what life is like and whether it's worth it?

 

[jefferz]

I played one on tv once.

 

[Leklok]

The real doctors will never respect you. If you can handle that then I say go for it.

 

[hbdope]

If you don't care about title and don't want massive debt go to PA school. Or look into being a Nurse Practitioner but there will still be doctors that will look at you as inferior to them.

 

[michal001]

Sounds like your doctor doesn't think you can make it or hack it and recommended you go for one step below.

Lol jk. It's decent work and profitable career choice of not ultra competitive and 9-5 kind of millennial.

 

[hbdope]

Or you can go to a Caribbean school. Be lonely/depressed for 2 years and be 300k in debt do that. Caribbean schools are not competetive.. However if you're looking for the 'easy way' you're probably looking at the wrong profession. The final exam for a PA I hear is somewhat close to the difficulty of STEP 2 CK. Probably not as hard but still....

I don't interact that much with PA's or NPs but the times I do interact with them their knowledge base is different. Often times they have significantly less knowledge than a practicing physician.

 

[punky brewster]

My sister just became a PA (at the age of 44). My sister likes it but she says the school is no joke, and don't expect the "book learning" classes to be much easier than med school. She is one of the smartest people I know (graduated at the top of her class and has Masters degree in biochemistry), and she wanted to do it now that her kids are growing up and she is no longer needed in the stay at home mom capacity.

Aside from the academics, do you like people, like working with people, or are you comfortable dealing with stupid people? There is a lot of that.

 

[Oblivian]

How is that better than a nurse practitioner? Nursing has some of the best value out there.

 

[punky brewster]

The real doctors will never respect you. If you can handle that then I say go for it.

The doctors will respect you if your good at your job. A good PA is a valuable asset to many doctors, and they pay you accordingly.

 

[odog]

@Tachycardia might have some info on this

 

[Pixelated Porn]

im hearing a lot of positives about becoming a physicians assistant. As someone who is having a hard time getting into medical school, it's very tempting to consider. My primary care physician actually told me to stop pursuing becoming a doctor and go to PA school instead. so does anyone here know a PA or is a PA that can give me some insight as to what life is like and whether it's worth it?

Wholly shit, you go to a fucking primary physician???? Go to a specialist and get a real opinion that holds wudder.

 

[gspieler]

It's "Physician Assistant"; non-possessive. They can be touchy about that.

 

[TeTe]

im hearing a lot of positives about becoming a physicians assistant. As someone who is having a hard time getting into medical school, it's very tempting to consider. My primary care physician actually told me to stop pursuing becoming a doctor and go to PA school instead. so does anyone here know a PA or is a PA that can give me some insight as to what life is like and whether it's worth it?

A friend of mine is and he makes good money... I believe he's around 130k a year. He works shitty hours and a lot of them and in ERs.. so the job isn't easy by any means, but it's the next best thing to being an MD.

 

[iGnP]

Or you can go to a Caribbean school. Be lonely/depressed for 2 years and be 300k in debt do that. Caribbean schools are not competetive.. However if you're looking for the 'easy way' you're probably looking at the wrong profession. The final exam for a PA I hear is somewhat close to the difficulty of STEP 2 CK. Probably not as hard but still....

I don't interact that much with PA's or NPs but the times I do interact with them their knowledge base is different. Often times they have significantly less knowledge than a practicing physician.

I'm pretty sure we've spoken before about the Caribbean topic. How's that going for you btw? Didn't I PM you recently?

 

[hbdope]

I'm pretty sure we've spoken before about the Caribbean topic. How's that going for you btw? Didn't I PM you recently?

probably thinking of someone else. Didn't get any pm's

 

[iGnP]

My sister just became a PA (at the age of 44). My sister likes it but she says the school is no joke, and don't expect the "book learning" classes to be much easier than med school. She is one of the smartest people I know (graduated at the top of her class and has Masters degree in biochemistry), and she wanted to do it now that her kids are growing up and she is no longer needed in the stay at home mom capacity.

Aside from the academics, do you like people, like working with people, or are you comfortable dealing with stupid people? There is a lot of that.

I've wanted to go into medicine since high school. It's ultra competitive and I'm getting mixed responses from applications. Got really close at an acceptance this year but it wasn't time I suppose. My doctor told me to go into being a PA because you don't deal w the bs paperwork and you get to treat patients like a doctor should, albeit much more routine cases. And the fact that it's only two years of schooling versus four in med school plus the residency Is also very appealing since medical school is very expensive

 

[iGnP]

How is that better than a nurse practitioner? Nursing has some of the best value out there.

It's a little too different than what I've done so far. I have a BA but it's in biology. I think I'd have To essentially start over if I chose to be an NP instead of taking a few extra classes to be able to apply to PA school

 

[iGnP]

probably thinking of someone else. Didn't get any pm's

You went to the Caribbean, right? How did that turn out for you? Is it as bad as people make it out to be in terms of finding a residency and scoring high on boards?

 

[SouthoftheAndes]

No but I've met hot older girls who are. It seems to attract hotties.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

Or you can go to a Caribbean school. Be lonely/depressed for 2 years and be 300k in debt do that. Caribbean schools are not competetive.. However if you're looking for the 'easy way' you're probably looking at the wrong profession. The final exam for a PA I hear is somewhat close to the difficulty of STEP 2 CK. Probably not as hard but still....

I don't interact that much with PA's or NPs but the times I do interact with them their knowledge base is different. Often times they have significantly less knowledge than a practicing physician.

Why be lonely and depressed in Carribean?